Rotary engine.



w. M. SPENCER. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1909.

950,249. v Patented Feb.22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEY W. M. SPENCER.

'BOTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION IILED MAY 10, 1909.

950,249. Patented Feb.-22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ANDREW a. GRAHAM 00.. PHOYD-LITHOGRAPNERS. wAsmNsroN. D. t

W. M sm-nwcm.

ROTARY ENGINE.

AP PLIOATIOK FILED MAY 10, 1909.

950,249. Patentd Feb.22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.v

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3L Q t I o d J5 Ji WITNESSES ENTOR ATTORNEY WILLIAM M. SPENCER, OFBURNS, TENNESSEE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Application filed May 10, 1909. Serial N 0. 495,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WVILLIAM M. SPENCER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Burns, in the county ofDickson and State of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification. My lnvention relates to a new and useful mprovement inrotary engines, and has for 1ts ob ect to provide an exceedingly simpleand effective device of this character whereby the lost motion orleverage on a machine may be overcome.

A further object of my invention-is to so construct the wings so thatthey will smoothly run along the inside surface of the cylinder.

A still further object of my invention is to so form the buckets thatthe gate valves will gradually rise upward and then downward over themore abrupt incline or back of bucket to face of wheel.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide packing rings sosituated that they will not Weaken the parts of the engine and will forma better steam joint.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aplan view of my improved engine. Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional viewof an engine made in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 3, alongitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 4, a viewof one of the wheels.Fig. 5, a sectional view thereof.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the frame,in which is mounted the shaft B and has journaled thereon at each endthe fly wheels C. A casing D is supported on the frame and is preferablycylindrical in shape, and has a central web E therein, said web havingan opening F thereby forming a bearing for the shaft B so as to supportsaid shaft at approximately the central point thereof.

Received within the casing are the wheels G rigidly mounted on the shaftB. The rims of the wheels are provided with buckets H having the forwardinclined surface I and rear inclined surface J for a purpose to behereinafter described. In these buckets is formed an opening K having arib- L projecting therein, in which are formed the'longitudinal andvertical openings M,

in which rest spiral springs N. Over this rib L are placed the bucketwings O which are placed together by a tongue and groove so that theywill move endwise in relation to one another, and these wings areoperated by the spiral springs N so as to cause them to move endwise oroutward so that they bear againstthe surface of the casing.

In the central web E are formed recesses P, on each side thereof, havingpacking rings Q therein which are held outwardly by means of the smallcoil springs R, and these rings bear against the sides of the wheels Gwhich prevents any leakage of the steam.

The ends S of the cylinder are secured to the casing by means of thebolts T passing over the casing and into the flanged edges of the ends.In these ends are formed recesses U in which are placed packing rings V,which are held outwardly by means of small coil springs W so that therings bear against the sides of the wheels G and act similar to thepacking rings Q, in the central web E.

Mounted upon the casing C is a steam chest X having the valves Y thereinwhich are connected by levers Z and A to the rocker arms B of the shaftC, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings D. Mounted upon theshaft to similar rocker arms E are the eccentric levers F which areconnected to the eccentrics G on the shaft B whereby the valves areoperated as the shaft is revolved and the eccentric for the differentvalves is caused to reciprocate it in the chest to close the curved portor ports H therein. These eccentrics are so mounted on the shaft tocorrespond to the wheels that the valve begins to close or closes theport I-I before the buckets H on the wheels reach the eX- H haust port Iin the casing.

Gate valves J are mounted on the casing just ahead of the steam chestand are received in a suitable casing K said casing havingvertical-tubes L threaded therein,

O, the lower ends of which rest against theupper portion of the gatevalves and the upper ends against the plugs M threaded into the tubes L.These plugs may be of any desirable length so that they can be threadedinto the tubes a considerable distance thereby tightening the spring sothat the gate valves J will be caused to tightly bear against the wheelsG, and as the wheels are rotated after passing the exhaust port I andthe port II when the steam chest is closed by one of the valves therein,it strikes a bucket H on the wheel causing it to move upward, and as thebucket passes from beneath it, it strikes the sloping surface J andgradually moves downward until it becomes seated on the surface of thewheel and the valve Y is drawn from the port H, and as the steam ispermitted to strike the bucket and force the wheel onward these gatevalves preventing the steam from passing but in one direction throughthe cylinder and always causing the wheel to move.

The operation of the device is as follows: Steam is admitted from aboiler to the cylinder causing the wheel or wheels to revolve and theyare .so timed that the bucket H on one is at the top, or near the gatevalve when the other is making its revolution and is about midwaythereof, the pressure of steam against the wheels causing the shaft B torevolve transmitting motion to the fly wheels and to the eccentrics,which eccentrics are connected to the eccentric levers, and these areconnected to the rocker arms on the shaft C thereby transmitting motionto the rocker arms B which in turn are connected to the levers A and Z,said levers operating the valves Y. The eccentrics do not run togetherbut permit one lever to transmit motion to the shaft C to cause one ofthe valves Y to operate and cover the port H, as the bucket H on thewheel G passes the exhaust port I thereby closing the supply to thiswheel, and as the wheel passes around it strikes one of the gate valvesJ causing it to rise upwardly against the action of the coil springs Oand as the bucket passes from beneath it the springs cause the valve toagain become seated on the rim of the wheel, and after it passes thegate valve and has traveled a short distance the valve Y is drawn fromthe port H allowing the steam to strike against the back of the bucketforcing the wheel around as the other valve is closing the other port bythe other wheel which is now reaching the exhaust valve E; at the sametime the steam is entering the port and forcing the first named wheelaround thereby preventing the loss of motion or stroke, and the strainnaturally due to the jerking motion as an even stroke is always given tothe machinery. As the packing rings Q and V are constantly pressingagainst the sides of the wheels G it prevents any of the steam passingoutside of the saace left between the periphery of the wheels and theinner sides of the cylinder.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction here shown, as these may be varied within the limits of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and useful,is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a frame, a casing mounted onthe frame and having exhaust ports therein, of a shaft, wheels mountedon said shaft, buckets having grooves therein on said wheels, springactuated wings mounted within the grooves in the buckets adapted to bearagainst the casing, valves for regulating the flow of steam to thewheels, means for actuating the valves alternately, spring actuated gatevalves for preventing the flow of steam in more than one directionthrough the casing, and means for regulating the tension of saidsprings.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination'of a frame, a casing having acentral web mounted on the frame, said web having circular groovesformed therein, spring actuated packing rings mounted in said grooves, ashaft, wheels within the casing on both sides of the central web mountedon the shaft, buckets on the wheels, spring actuated wings mounted insaid buckets, a steam chest mounted on the casing having ports thereinfor the admission of steam to the casing, valves in the chest forregulating the flow of steam to the wheels, means connected to the shaftfor operating the valves, another casing formed with the first namedcasing, gate valves having rods resting on their upper ends mounted insaid casing, tubes extending from the top of said casing, coil springs,and means for adjusting the tension of said springs.

3. I11 a rotary engine, the combination of a frame, a casing having acentral web mounted on the frame, said web having circular groovesformed therein, spring actuated packing rings mounted in said grooves, ashaft, wheels within the casing on both sides of the central web mountedon the shaft, buckets on the wheels, spring actuated wings mounted insaid buckets, a steam chest mounted on the casing having ports thereinfor the admission of steam to the casing, valves in the chest forregulating the flow of steam to the wheels, means connected to the shaftfor operating the valves, another casing formed with the first namedcasing,

gate valves having rods resting on their upmounted in said groovesadapted to bear 10 per ends mounted in said caslng, tubes eX- againstthe sides of the wheels.

tending from the top of said casing, coil In testimony whereof, I havehereunto springs coiled about the rods mounted on affixed my signaturein the presence of two the gate valves and extending upward intosubscribing witnesses.

the tubes, plugs threaded in said tubes for WILLIAM M. SPENCER.adjusting the tension of said springs, casing lVitnesses: ends havingcircular grooves formed there- R. F. SEARS,

1n, and spring actuated packing rings H. A. HUTCHENAN.

